Thursday, March 4, 2010

These are benign and most common in pre-menopausal women. Some women experience pain with these cysts.

Proper diagnosis can help in treating the breast cysts.

Breast cysts can develop in one or both the breasts.

Various causes can result in the formation of breast cysts, among those fibrocystic breast diseases or cystic mastitis is the most common one.

The formation of breast cyst is also linked to the onset of premenstrual syndrome. The most common period to develop breast cysts is between 30’s and 50’s.

Fluctuations in hormone levels and consequent hormone fluctuations within the body occur one to two weeks before menstruation. This can cause breast glands to fill with fluid and increase or decrease in size based on the hormone levels. As the breast tissues are very sensitive to the hormone changes, all these changes can result in the formation of breast cysts. During this period your breasts become swollen and inflamed and resulting in varying degrees of pain.

Usually, fluids form your breast tissues are collected and transported out of the breasts through the lymphatic system, if the amount of fluid is greater than the lymphatic system can handle then various places of the breast are occupied with this fluid resulting in the formation of breast cysts. If you think that you have breast cysts, then you should get checked with your doctor.

Also, researchers said that an increase in estrogen and decrease in progesterone hormones and also lactating hormones oxytocin or prolactin can trigger the formation of breast cysts.

In order to detect the breast cysts medically, a needle is inserted into the cyst to take out the fluid for evaluation. Most often, doctors recommend draining of the cyst in order to prevent the reoccurrence of the cyst in future. Apart from medical treatments which are very dangerous, you can consider some alternative and natural treatments. They include:

Herbs to treat breast cysts:

Vitex: This herb can also be called as chaste berry, which helps to increase the levels of progesterone hormone and corrects the balance between estrogen and progesterone. You are not recommended to use this herb during pregnancy or while getting hormone therapy.

Black Cohosh: Usually this herb is used as general health booster. You can take the herb in capsule form, drops of tincture, or in the form of tea.

Evening primrose oil: This oil is a great source of essential fatty acids that have natural antiprostaglandin properties, which help to reduce breast cysts. Prostaglandins are chemicals that your body develops and can cause breast inflammation and lead to breast cysts.

Butcher’s Broom: This herb contains chemicals that are related to diosgenin, which is a hormone like element of wild yam. It helps to reduce the inflammatory process of the breasts, which can cause the formation of cysts.

Saw Palmetto: It has anti-inflammatory properties that help to reduce breast inflammation. It reduces the effect of estrogen on your breasts.

Gotu Kola: Also known as Centella asiatica acts as a tonic or health booster.

Diet tips to treat breast cysts:

Stop drinking coffee and black tea, which are higher in Methylxanthines. Methylxanthines can lead to the formation of breast cysts. Methylxanthines can also be found in some chocolates and colas. Also, avoid drinking alcohol. Decrease the consumption of animal meats, dairy products.

Lack of iodine in your diet can also lead to the formation of cysts. Lack of iodine makes your thyroid gland inactive and lead to the formation breast lumps and cysts.

Wearing brass that can restrict the circulation of lymph in the lymphatic vessels. Tight brass can block or slow the removal of wastes through the lymphatic system. Women who wear constricting types of brassieres such as under wire and throughout the night, are the most susceptible to breast cyst formation in middle age.

Consume soy based foods, which are having higher isoflavones. These helps to reduce the effect of excess estrogen. Vegetables like Brussels, broccoli and cabbage contain chemicals called indoles, which help to protect your breasts from excess estrogen.

Supplements to treat breast cysts:

Vitamin A: Helps your breast ducts functioning properly.

Indoles: Indoles are chemicals that fight against cysts and tumors. They found in cabbage-family vegetables. You can also find these chemicals in capsule form.

Vitamin E: This is a skin boosting vitamin, which helps to protect your breast tissues. This vitamin has good antioxidant properties and maintains hormonal balance. Regular intake of vitamin E helps to reduce breast tenderness and cysts formation.

Isoflavones: These compounds are found in soy and tofu. They reduce the formation of breast tumors.

Before taking any of these herbs and supplements, you should consult your doctor about the specific dosage.